Fairfield schools 'secure' following threats that forced all 17 into lockdown

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (WABC) -- Police in Fairfield, Connecticut, said all schools are safe following a series of threats Friday morning that prompted all 17 schools to go into lockdown.

Police moved through all 17 of the schools in the Fairfield District to make sure they are all secure Friday evening.

At one point, one parent, seen in cell phone video obtained by Eyewitness News, appears at his child's school and has a concerned exchange with a Police officer prohibiting access.

"What if we don't understand the capacity of the threat, unbeknownst to anybody's fault, and we're here when we could have taken our children out and something bad happens and we haven't done that?" a parent asked the officers.

"I'm going to assure you that we're going to do everything we can to ensure that nothing bad happens. We cannot let you in, I apologize for that, OK. We cannot let you in. They're in lockdown. If you go in there, you're going to get shot OK, that's how it works, OK. We have protocol, and we are not going to jeopardize everybody for you," an officer told the parent.

"Something in his voice sounded like it wasn't a lockdown drill, it was real," said Dominique Walter, a student.

That was the first indication for Dominique Walter and others students at Fairfield Ludlowe High School after a threatening series of calls forced school officials to lockdown all 17 schools in the district.

"We had to stay in class like an hour later, it got really scary," said Meilene Fung, a student.

"It's something that we practice. It's something our schools are used to doing, and police provided additional resources," said David Title, the superintendent of Fairfield Public Schools.

The threats phoned into both schools and to police were most alarming.

"They received a threat that they have a male who is going to show up with an M-16. We then got a threat to Ludlow High School saying that they were going to have a bomb inside the school," said Lt. James Perez, a police spokesperson.

Police from several surrounding communities began responding to cover all the buildings, while inside students were kept calm.

Suzanne Haas' daughter Julia was in Tomlinson Middle School.

"I felt really safe in our room. With the windows closed and everything," said Julia Haas, a student.

"You train for that?" Suzanne asked.

"Yes. We practice a lot," Julia said.

"But you just got to pray and be hopeful," Suzanne said.

"I think schools did a really good job of keeping all the parents notified and making sure all the kids felt safe," said Chrystal Moynahan, a parent.

"The safety and security of our students and staff was the upmost priority throughout the entire event," Title said.

As students had early dismissal, police had turned their attention to the investigation and what might be behind the threats.

"We are looking at this as possibly, as not creditable. Although we can't be absolutely certain until we begin clearing all the schools," Lt. Perez said.